Currently, in the prior art, there are available a number of devices which are designed to hold jewelry neatly and securely in a flexible roll up device. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,344 issued to Smith discloses a device which has a thin flexible planar layer of plastic or fabric to which is attached a plurality of transparent pockets into which jewelry items may be placed. The entire device is intended to be hung from a closet rod or hook which renders the pieces of jewelry stored therein readily visible and available to the user. However, there must be one pocket for each piece of jewelry to be contained therein, which limits the amount of jewelry contained in the device to the number of pockets provided on the device.
Another issued patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,230 issued to Mattox, discloses the use of a similar device, made from a mesh type fabric which is supported by additional segments of solid type fabric. Rings cannot be accommodated by such a device. Further, necklaces and bracelets can only be held by just a few velcro strap attachments located at the bottom of the device.
A similar soft planar jewelry holding device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,219 issued to Mink which discloses the use of varying sizes of transparent plastic removably secured to a fabric backing member by means of miniature hook and loop fasteners. During the use of this particular device, the user cannot simply remove the jewelry pieces; she must pull back a portion of the hook/loop fastening member, select the piece, and then reposition the plastic retention member.
A final patent shown in the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,736 issued to Nibbling which discloses the use of a jewelry box having a rigid frame member which is fastened onto a rigid, rectangular jewelry box member which contains a pair of screens. It is anticipated that earrings and necklaces shall be attached by separate hook or pin members which are thrust into a backing board in the interior of the device. The device is apparently suited only to holding necklaces, bracelets and rings, and no means for holding earrings, either pierced or clip is provided.
Thus, the prior art does not show any device which is rigid, easy to conceal in a closet between clothes, covered by an ordinary article of clothing, or behind a picture or mirror and which can hold a wide variety of jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets and either pierced or clip style earrings wherein the various jewelry pieces may be readily viewed and selected by the user.